Hello, hello, hello, my lovelies…
It’s been a while and that’s absolutely not okay. I miss writing so much and since I finally, finally, after one and a half years of Corona take over, got my office back, I don’t have any excuses to not start writing like a crazy person once more. Today I started making a list for my next endeavours and I can tell you: Most likely you are gonna be sick of me by the end of September.
So let’s begin with my first new hobby really: Reading manga…
Yes, yes. I read manga like everyone else when I was younger and I have quite the neat, little collection, I think, but so far I have not read a ton of BL manga as I just never had the opportunity. I don’t like reading manga or comics on a tablet or a phone and it was not so easy to just buy these books in a shop. But with the big BL boom, I can now buy them now wherever I am and so I started buying all BL mangas of shows or movies I already know. One full shelf is already taken just with BL manga, so I can promise you to write more of these recommendations for sure.
But let’s move over to our topic today, to No Touching At All. The original title is Doushitemo Furetakunai and it was released in Japan in 2008. Obviously things take longer to arrive in Germany, so our release was just this year. It’s written by Kou Yoneda and it was actually the first work they ever published. And they already hit it out of the park, just as a quick spoiler.
Oh, and while we are at the spoiler topic already…. I am gonna use a few spoilers in the rest of this blog, but since I assume most of you have seen the awesome movie of the same name already, I am pretty sure you know the story already anyway. If not… Then tread with care, as I might just give stuff away. But I am trying to be good.
So what is it about, this wonderful story?
Shima is a rather quiet guy who starts a new job in the IT department of a big company. On his first day he meets his boss, Togawa, who drinks, smokes like a chimney and his outgoing temperament is somewhere between incredibly charming and incredibly annoying. It doesn’t take long for Togawa to take a particular liking to Shima, but Shima promised himself one thing when he started this job: Don’t fall in love again.
And with this a love story begins that has to conquer both their past experiences. But will it work or will their past destroy whatever there is between these two?
So did I like it?
Oh hell yes, I did. The drawing style is really nice to look at (I am such a picky reader when it comes to the drawings. It can be the best story in the world. If I don’t like the way you draw a nose, I don’t like the manga. I am sorry) and I love that the love scenes are not aaaaaas graphic as in other manga. These ones are rather tame I guess but they work totally for me and for the storyline, even more importantly.
The story in itself is very interesting and not so unrealistic. I think if you are a bit older and have heard stories from your friends and family, you will know that this “meeting at the workplace” is rather a typical thing to happen. Also the way both Shima and Togawa feel about being a couple and being out is extremely interesting and differs so much based on their past experiences.
Togawa on one hand has experienced the worst thing a human can imagine and I think he just at one point decided not to give a fuck about other people anymore and just do what feels right for him. And Shima… With his experience he obviously has lost all trust and faith in love. And now we add the fact that talking is not Shima’s strong suit while overthinking definitely is… And we have the perfect mess for a perfect little afternoon read.
I also loved the little extra scenes that we didn’t get to see in the movie. So if you have seen the movie but always felt that there was something missing… Buy this book and read it. Because the answers it gives you will make you appreciate the movie even more.
So yeah, for me this manga is the perfect companion to the movie and it will just heighten your enjoyment of both. I definitely can’t recommend it enough. I just spent a very chill hour with a cat on my lap reading this wonderful book and I definitely say, it’s worth your time and money.
Oh and before I forget: Even though my description sounds more like a relationship between Sid and Nancy, it is absolutely romantic, fluffy, funny and has a happy end. Yes, there is drama, but just to make the fluff taste so much sweeter.
And with this I shall close my little blog and hope I made good on my promise not to give away too much.
First Posted On BLDA
Your Heart's Content 